Depression Treatment and Economic Empowerment (ASHA)

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Status: Completed

Conditions: Depressive Symptoms

Treatments: Behavioral: Group based treatment

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04532008

2013-2320

Details and patient eligibility

About

This pilot study randomized 48 depressed rural Bangladeshi housewives to either intervention or control groups. The intervention groups received depression treatment and a financial empowerment intervention.

Full description

This study was conducted in the rural Sirajganj region of Bangladesh. Working with the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh and a local NGO, we recruited 48 depressed rural housewives for the study. Participants were randomized into intervention in control groups. The intervention groups (n=24) received 12 sessions of evidence based depression treatment, financial literacy education, agricultural training and skill building. They opened bank accounts and saved for six months. At the end of the six month period, participants who had met savings and attendance requirements received a cash transfer of approximately $186, which was used to purchase a productive asset. 22 participants purchased an agricultural animal, usually a goat; 1 financed a small retail business, and 1 leased land to grow crops for sale. Depression scores on the PHD-9 were sharply reduced. The study had 100% retention.

Enrollment: 48 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18 to 40 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age 18-40
• PHQ greater than 10
• Able to save
• Able to read and write

Exclusion criteria

• Not in age range PhQ below 10 Unable to contribute to savings account Illiterate

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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48 participants in 2 patient groups

Control Group

No Intervention group

Description:

No intervention

Treatment Group

Experimental group

Description:

Experimental group received 12 session of group based depression treatment, a matched savings program, financial literacy training, agricultural training, and a cash transfer.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Group based treatment